FAIRMONT — Collin Steuber already is off to a solid start for the Fairmont/Martin County West Red Bulls wrestling team.

The Class AA, No. 9-ranked 152-pound junior wrestler has taken home a gold medal at the season-opening Maher Invitational in Blue Earth.

Steuber also captured runner-up honors while competing in the 160-pound weight class at the Redwood River Riot in Redwood Falls.

Steuber also notched his 100th career win on Dec. 13 during the Red Bulls’ quadrangular with Madelia/Truman/Martin Luther, Redwood River Valley and St. Clair/ Mankato Loyola.

His 99th win came via a forfeit from Redwood River Valley, so he was aware that the potential milestone match was coming up.

“It felt just like a normal match. I tried to put it out of my head and just wrestle like I always have been,” Steuber said.

Win No. 100 came on a 1-minute, 12-second pin against St. Clair/Mankato Loyola’s Emil Olsson.

“I knew my mom was going to scream,” Steuber said. “I just tried to drown everyone out after I was done.”

Ironically, his 101st win also came on a forfeit, allowing Steuber three wins in the quandrangular.

“I was happy that it wasn’t a forfeit and I was able to at least get a match to get my 100th win,” Steuber said about the milestone.

The road to 100 varsity match wins started long before high school, though. Steuber’s father first introduced him to wrestling at a very young age.

“My dad put me in wrestling when I was in pre-school, so before I even knew what I was doing, I was wrestling,” Steuber said. “I didn’t know anything else, just wrestling.”

By the time he was in seventh grade, Steuber had already made the Red Bulls’ varsity wrestling team.

Steuber said Trevor Schultz played a role in his early development.

“I was lucky enough to have Trevor Schultz as a practice partner. He made me a lot better as a seventh-grader,” Steuber said. “He taught me a lot.”

“I’ve had the great opportunity to see him (Steuber) come up through the youth ranks and then mature into that varsity role from seventh grade on up. It’s been a nice progression,” Red Bulls head coach Adam Williamson said. “He understands what it takes to be successful on the wrestling mat.”

Steuber’s resume not only includes more than 100 match wins, but also two section championships and a couple state appearances. Having that experience under his belt allows for him to be an asset for the Red Bulls.

“You know you can count on him to get it done in a tough match and do what it takes to help the team win,” Williamson said about Steuber. “In the last couple of years, he’s developed into one of the leaders of the team. He leads by example and has become a more vocal leader to get the guys motivated.”

Even though Steuber has made the state tournament before, he hasn’t placed. At the rate he’s going, Williamson believes Steuber has a good chance at accomplishing that.

“I definitely think he’s shown already this season he can be a state placer this year,” Williamson said. “He’s shown he can be right up there with the elite wrestlers in the state and compete very strongly with them.”

Steuber also hopes to get the team to the state tournament as well. Last year, the Red Bulls came close, but were eliminated in the Section 3AA team semifinals.

“(We have to) just keep working as a team,” Steuber said.